Kull (Earth-616)
Kull the Conqueror, Warrior-King, Barbarian-King | Identity = Public | Affiliation = Valusia, Atlantis; , , , ; formerly hired by Asfodel IV | Relatives = Gorm-Li (father, deceased); Osa (mother, deceased); Iraina (twin sister, deceased) Volonius VII (descendant); Conan (descendant, possible reincarnation) | Universe = Earth-616 | BaseOfOperations = City of Wonders, Valusia; formerly Tiger Valley, Atlantis | Gender = Male | Height = 6'5 | Weight = 270 lbs. | Eyes = Grey | Hair = Black | UnusualFeatures = | Citizenship = Valusia, Pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis | MaritalStatus = Married | Occupation = King of Valusia; formerly Valusian commander, gladiator, outlaw, slave | Education = | Origin = Human; Barbarian of Atlantis, later became the first notable King in the world. | PlaceOfBirth = Atlantis | Creators = Robert E. Howard; Roy Thomas; Barry Smith | First = Conan the Barbarian #1 | Last = Conan: The Ravagers Out of Time #1 | Overview = Kull of Valusia was the greatest king of the Pre-Cataclysmic Age, and a central individual of his time, much like Conan the Cimmerian some 8,000 years later. He lived circa 18,500 BC, and was originated from barbaric Atlantis. He would face many enemies, including the Commorians, the Elder Race sorcerers Thulsa Doom and Tuzun Thune, the Serpent Men, Ohris Dehjmal and his followers, among others. To serve and assist him were his court: Brule the Spear-Slayer (the Pictish ambassador to the court), the elderly councilor Tu, the minstrel Ridondo, Count Murom bora Ballin, the philosopher-slave Kuthulos, the Pictish ancient Ka-Nu, as well his friend from his slave years Bakas, but he had other allies, such as his fellow tribesman Om-Ra. He would became a legendary king during the Hyborian Age and into at least the 2nd century AD, )}} and a fiction character from stories of Robert Howard wrote. | HistoryText = Origin and early years Kull was born in Atlantis. An orphan, he was adopted by the great striped cats of Tiger Valley. He was eventually taken in by the Sea-Mountain people. Soon, he bested his fellow tribesmen in both martial and mind matters. A questioner, a seeker, he was singularly different from the rest of the tribe. When his fellow tribesmen tried and burned a girl for marrying a foreigner, Kull killed her by throwing a dagger at her, sparing her from a slow death, while causing to be himself the prey of his tribe. Kull consequently fled from Atlantis. Slave of Lemurian pirates There, Kull was enslaved by Lemurian pirates who had him bound the oar, to serve as a galley slave and as a gladiator, where he faced a Wolf Man, with whom he forged an alliance. After two years of captivity, Kull managed to overcome a pair of drunken guards and escaped, swimming to the shore of Valusia. Mercenary Fearing the wizard and priest of nameless gods Rotath of Lemuria, Asfodel IV hired Kull to slay him. Although the barbarian was successful, Rotath cursed both Asfodel and Kull before casting a spell that would allow him to eventually return to life during the Hyborian Age. Outlaw On Valusia, Kull joined a group of outlaws in the hill country, but was eventually caught and locked in the dungeons of the City of Wonders, the capital. Gladiator Due to his physique, he was sentenced to the gladiatorial arenas, where he became a sensation to the crowd. Recognizing his nobility of spirit, the Valusian noblman Count Murom bora Ballin bought him his freedom. Valusian soldier Count Murom bora Ballin eventually bought him a commission in the Valusian army. Eventually, Kull's natural leadership made him rose to the rank of commander of the king's personal regiment, the Black Legion. He was soon embroiled in a plot to assassinate King Borna set by Kaanuub, baron of Blaal. Kull confronted Borna and killed him in a death-duel, receiving a scar on his right cheek during that fight, a symbol of the violence by which he seized the Topaz Throne and by which he would keep it. King of Valusia Upon his first public processions, Kull, aided by Brule the Spear-Slayer, Pictish ambassador to the courty, uncovered the threat of the Serpent-Men and inflicted them the first of a series of defeats. Ardyon's rule / Kull in exile For a time, the evil sorcerer Thulsa Doom usurped the throne of Valusia, posing as Ardhyon and wearing the Serpent Crown. ... During that time, Kull wandered, experiencing supernatural adventures. Return He eventually returned to Valusia and took back his throne. Kull decided to annihilate all those who offered human sacrifice to the dark elder gods, including Thuron, the king of a mountain city on the outer fringes of Valusia. The deities who later became known as the Elder Gods of the Hyborian Age intended to make King Kull of Valusia the vessel of their power, but chose instead to make the immortal cat, Sedrick (felinized by the dark sorcerer Thulsa Doom) the container of their power. For this, Kull slew Thulsa Doom. Varnae, who served in the Cult of the Darkholders under Thulsa Doom, became injured during the battle. On the verge of dying, Varnae was transformed into the first vampire by sorcerers of Atlantis by using the Darkhold. The Serpent-Men were eventually (almost) exterminated with Kull's help. Later reign Kull's later reign was described as a golden age, sparked by Kull who shared his time between expanding and defending Valusia from a side, and the "relentless pursuit of knowledge in a quest for the ultimate answers to the riddles of reality." Legacy Pre-Cataclysmic Age After Kull's rule, his name became the word used to qualify Valusia's sovereign. His line seemingly ended with Valusia when the Great Cataclysm hit the City of Wonders and caused the death of Volonius the Seventh. Hyborian Age Kull remained known during the Hyborian Age, notably in Conan's racial memories. Antiquity (circa 200 AD) The memory of Kull remained circa 200 AD through the Picts Gonar (descendant of the eponymous Pict shaman ally of Kull), and Bran Mak Morn, king of the Picts (descendant of Brule). Modern Age Robert Howard wrote stories about King Kull circa 1932. It is unknown how Howard came to know of Kull. Relationship While treating women with compassion and chivalry "beyond all reason", he stood away from the role of lover. On what was thought his deathbed, Death seduced and was seduced by Kull, and returned him to life. | Personality = | Powers = King Kull did not possess any known superhuman powers/abilities, however, during his time spent as a gladiator, pirate, assassin, and king, he engaged in intensive and extensive regular exercise. This imbued Kull with peak human attributes of strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes. | Abilities = King Kull was an excellent all-around armed and unarmed combatant, extensively trained in the warfare of the Thurian Age. Kull was also highly intelligent and prone to lose himself in philosophical contemplation. | Strength ='Peak Human': King Kull possessed the strength of a man of his unusual (at the time) size/build who engaged in intensive and extensive regular exercise. Kull was a feral child growing up, effectively removing the mental blocks most other humans place on physical might. This combined with his naturally athletic and strong build, as well as his years of training, granted him near superhuman strength. | Equipment = Crown | Transportation = Horse | Weapons = Throughout his adventures, Kull preferred a battle axe as his weapon of choice. Later as King, Kull would favor a broadsword in addition to his axe. | Notes = * Kull was one of the characters featured in the series of Marvel Value Stamps issued in the 1970's. | Trivia = * Kull's totem was the tiger. | Links = * Kull of Atlantis on Wikipedia. }} Category:Fencing Category:Pre-Cataclysmic Age Characters Category:Valusian Monarchs Category:Peak Human Strength Category:Equestrianism